Machinery for making dies



May 15, 1923. u M55266 H. c. RICKENBACH MACHINERY FOR MAKING DIES Filed Nov- 29, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet l u I I1 May 15, 1923.

H. c. RICKENBACH MACHINERY FOR MAKING DIES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 29 1921 W N 0 m m .N Na Q m m W M r! I L N. U. i Q Q N F: Q H U .m

WITNESSES Patented May I5, 1923.

HARRY C. RICKENBACH, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO JAS. H

insane are.

MATTHEWS &; (30., OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVANIA.

MACHINERY FOR MAKING DIES.

Application filed November 29, 1921. Serial No. 518,565.

T 0 all who Inuit may concern:

Be it known that I, I'IARRY C. B-IOKEN- BAOH, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, a citizen of the United States, have invented ordiscovered certain new and useful Improvements in Machinery for Making Dies, of which improvements the following is a specification.

-\Iy invention relates to machinery for making dies. The dies here in contemplation are such as are employed for impressing some legible or identifying mark upon the surface of an article of metal; these dies are made of short lengths of tool-steel rod, bearing upon one end, in sharp-edged relief and in reverse, the character or design to be impressed. In service, the die, held in the hand with its cutting face against the surface to be marked, is struck with a hammer upon theopposite end (or a power press may be used), and thus the desired impression is made upon the surface under treatment. It is to the forming of the cutting face of such a die that my invention is directed.

Various processes have hitherto been re sorted to, in order to effect this shaping of the cutting face or working face of the die, including casting, cutting, and swedging. The operation which my machine performs is essentially a swedging operation,-that is to say, an operation in which a blank in solid state, subjected to pressure, is shaped under a matrix; the material of the blank is squeezed into the interstices of the matrix, and sothe desired shaping of the face of the blank is achieved. The blank of tool steel is while this operation is in progress in still unhardened condition; the matrix is of hardened tool steel. When shaping has been effected the blank is hardened. Trimming and sharpening of the otherwise completed die may be resorted to, either before or after hardening.

More particularly, the swedging operation which my machine performs is one in which matrix and the blank when brought face to face stand, not in exact axial alignment, but with their axes inclined at a small angle, the one to the other, and in which.

"while the swedging pressure is exerted the remote end of one of the two bodies mentioned moves orbitally about the axis of the other; and thus the swedging pressure, concentrated in a line extending radially from the centers of matrix and blank, sweeps with each orbital swing the entire surfaces of both these bodies. And this orbital swing, while pressure continues, being repeated again and again, the metal of the blank is gradually raised into close conformity to the shaping face of the matrix.

Referring to the drawings, Figure I is a view in plan from above of a machine embodying my invention. Figure II is a View in vertical section on the plane indicated by the line II-II, Figure I. Figure III is a view to larger scale showing in front elevation the matrix and its carrier as it ap pears mounted in the machine ready for operation. It is such a view as would be got if, referring to Figure II, the machine parts to the right of the line IIIIII were cut away, and the remainder of the machine were viewed from right to left. Figure IV is a view in horizontal section on the plane indicated at IVIV, Figure III. Figure V is a fragmentary view to scale corresponding to Figures III and IV, showing in elevation the remote end of the matrix carrier and the connection by which it is driven. Figure V I is a view in transverse section on the plane indicated at VIVI, Figure V.

Referring first to Figure II, the machine there illustrated includes means for carrying a matrix M (cf. Figs. III and IV) and also a carrier for a blank B to be operated upon. These two bodies are shown in Fig ure II to be borne by the machine in face to face contact, but not in exact axial alinement.

The remote end of the matrix carrier in which the matrix itself is centered is shown to be remote from the prolonged axis of the blank by the interval a Z) (of. Fig. V).

In the operation of the machine these two bodies are subjected to a relative move ment, the axis of the one moving orbitally around the axis of the other, and while my invention is not specifically limited to this particular arrangement, I find it convenient and preferable to mount the blank in the machine so that during operation it has no other movement than a minute forward feed which progresses as its face is gradually swedged, While the matrix carrier and the matrix are subjected to the orbital motion which has been mentioned around the prolonged axis of the blank.

The blank B, as shown in Figures I and II, is mounted in a block 1, and removably secured therein by means of a hand-operated set screw 2; the block 1 is pivoted in a slide 3 and secured by a hand-operated look at. This particular construction makes possible the ready removal of a finished article matrix M, which seat conveniently consists of blocks 8 and 9, carried in a frame 10, and constituting clamping members secured by a set screw 11. The further characteristic features of this matrix carrier are, first, that it is so constructed that when mounted inits frame, presently to be described, it is secure against rotation on its own axis, and in this connection it 1s to be noted that thatend of the matrix carrier in which the matrix is carried is essentially of the square shape indicated at 12, and that the rim or edge of this square end is rounded. 'Second, this matrix carrier is provided at a region remote from the matrix seat, but intermediate the length of the carrier, with 'a spherical bearing surface 18, whose center of curvature lies (with such toleranc as the operation admits of) at the center of the working face of the matrix M when in place in its seat.

This matrix carrier so characterized is borne in a frame 14: in such manner as to be subject to the movement already defined, that is to say, a movement in which, while matrix and blank remain in face to face contact, the remote end of the matrix carrier nioves orbitally around the prolonged axis of the blank. The blank itself being securedagainst rotation on its axis, the matrix carrier also is secured against rotation upon its axis. To accomplish the end indicated, the frame 14: is provided with an.

open end 15 of square shape within which the square end of the matrix carrier lies, as is clearly shown in Figures III and IV. The frame is further provided with a spherical seat 16ffor the spherical bearing surface 13 ofthe carrier, the assembly being in this respect clearly indicated in Figure IV.

;.Into proximity with the remote end of the matrix carrier extends a power driven shaft 17 (shown atthc extreme left in Figures I and II) which power shaft is axially aligned with the blank B when in place in its carrier ready for the swedging operation. A crank connection is made between this power driven shaft 17 and the remote end of the matrix carrier 7 to the end "that as the shaft rotates the remote end of the carrier 7 will describe the orbital motion already defined. The construction is that illustrated in Figures V and VI, where two blocks 18 and 19 are shown, the block 18 being rigidly borne on the shaft 17, and the block 19 affording a bearing for. the end 7 of the matrix, carrier and within which the matrix carrier is freely revoluble or, to speak with greater accuracy, theblockis freely revoluble aboutthe axisof the matrix carrier. These two blocks are adjustable transverselyof the axis of the shaft 17 as isindicated by the bolt and slot connection shown in Figures V and VI. Thus the re mote end of the matrix carrier is driven orbitally around the prolonged axis of the blank, and furthermore provision is made that the eccentricity 'ofthe remote end of the matrix carrier with respect to the axis of the blank may be fixedat any degree desired within practical. range. For I find that, according as the design which is to be developedin the blank is of larger or smaller surface extent, it is desirable to increase or diminish the degree of this eccentricity.

The frame 14: is shown to be made up of castings properly bolted together for facility in assembling and economic replacement of worn parts. These features however no part in my present invention.

The operation involves apreliminary equipping of block 1 with blank B, and of matrix carrier 7 with a matrix M. otal mounting of block 1, the securing set screw for blank B, the proper recessing of the end of the matrix carrier, and the provision of the set screw 11, permit the ready preparation of the machine in this respect without any taking down of the machine structure, and permit also the repeated replacement of a finished blank with an an formed blank as operation progresses. When the machine is so provided with matrix and blank, the parts being in the general position indicated in Figures I' and II. powershaft 17 is driven and the described orbital motion is imposed'upon thematrix M. While the matrix M is so moving, the

hand wheel 6 is turned. and the blank Bis advanced into contact with the matrix and pressure is exerted upon that contact, and is continuously exerted as the substance of the blank itself under this pressure is minutely replaced, and the face of the blank brought into correspondence with the face of the matrix. When by continued application of pressure and c'ontinued'orbital motion of the matrix the blank is developed to the full exform The piv tent that the machine is intended to achieve, pressure is relieved, the screw 5 is driven in the opposite direction, the block 1 unlocked and swung aside (upward), the set screw 2 is eased, and the completed blank B is removed. Another is put in its place and locked by the screw 2. The block is then swung back into position and locked by the lock 4:, and then the operation is repeated. The even distribution of the swedging pressure results in a die of uniform quality throughout its working face.

I have in the foregoing description made the blank B the body subject to the straight away thrust of the screw 5. It will be understood that the essential requirement is that the two bodies M and B, while the relative orbital motion described is maintained, shall be compressed one upon the other, and while I do not vlimit my invention to this specific arrangement, I find it advantageous and simple to make the blank B the movable body in this right-line direction to afford the swedging pressure.

Details of structure are elaborated here in an exemplary way. The invention is of course not limited to such matters.

I claim as my invention:

1. A machine for swedging the faces of dies, including the combination of a carrier provided with a seat for one of the two coacting bodies (blank and matrix) and with a spherical bearing surface remote from said seat, the center of curvature of said bearing surface being coincident with the center of the face of the body referred to when in place in said seat, and a frame'for said carrier including a spherical socket for said bearing surface and a keeper adapted to engage said carrier adjacent the aforementioned seat therein and by such engagement, while leaving the carrier otherwise free, preventing axial rotation thereof, substantially as described.

2. A machine for swedging the faces of dies, including the combination of a carrier polygonal at one end in cross section and at such polygonal end provided with a seat for one of the two co-acting bodies (blank and matrix) and provided further with a spherical bearing surface remote from said seat, the center of curvature of said bearing surface being coincidentwith the center of the face of the body referred to when in place in said seat, and a frame for said carrier including a spherical socket for said bearing surface and a polygonal kieeper adapted to engage the polygonal end of said carrier, substantially as described.

3. A machine for swedging the faces of dies, including the combination of a carrier provided with a seat for one of the two co-acting bodies (blank and matrix) and with a spherical bearing surface remote from said seat, the center of curvature of said bearing surface being coincident with the center of the face of the body referred to when in place in said seat, a frame for said carrier including a spherical socket for said bearing surface and a keeper adapted to engage said carrier adjacent the aforementioned seat therein and by such engagement, while leaving the carrier otherwise free, preventing axial rotation thereof, and means for imparting to the end of said carrier remote from the seat above mentioned orbital motion about an axis passing through the center of such body and extending angularly with respect to the axis of the carrier. substantially as described.

4. A machine for swedging the faces of dies, including the combination of a carrier provided with a seat for one of the two co-acting bodies (blank and matrix) and with a spherical bearing surface remote from said seat, the center of curvature of said bearing surface being coincident with the center of the face of the body referred to when in place in said seat, a frame for said carrier including a spherical socket for said bearing surface and a keeper adapted to engage said carrier adjacent the aforementioned seat therein and by such engagement, while leaving the carrier otherwise free, preventing axial rotation thereof, means for imparting to the end of said carrier remote from the seat above mentioned orbital motion about an axis passing through the center of such body and extending angularly with respect to the axis of the carrier, and means for varying the radius of such orbital motion, substantially as de scribed.

55. A machine for swedging the faces of dies, including the combination of a carrier provided with a seat for one of the two coactirig bodies (blank and matrix) and with a spherical bearing surface remote from said seat, the center of curvature of said bearing surface being coincident wit-h the center of the face of the body referred to when in place in said seat, a frame for said carrier including a spherical socket for said bearing surface and a keeper adapted to engage said carrier adjacent the aforementioned seat therein and by such engagement, while leaving the carrier otherwise free, preventing axial rotation thereof, means for sustaining the other of the two coactine bodies in operative position opposite the body borne by said carrier, and means for moving, one relatively to the other, the bodies so carried, in a direction angular to the axis of said carrier.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

HARRY C. RICKENBACH. Witnesses:

BAYARD H. CHnIs'rY, FRANCIS J. TOMASSON. 

